


Always

by annamariestark



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 03:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20075110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annamariestark/pseuds/annamariestark
Summary: Julian isn't so great at keeping track of his calendar...





	Always

Kit tapped her foot impatiently. The cups in front of her had gone cold long ago. Tea for her, coffee for Julian. But he hadn’t come home yet; he was now nearly two hours late. She usually gave him the benefit of the doubt considering the work he did, knowing that some patients needed more time and resources than others. But good gods, it was nearly eight o’clock and he wasn’t home. With a heavy sigh, she picked up the mugs, crossing to the kitchenette and throwing them in the sink with a bit more force than necessary, wincing at the resultant clatter. She gathered her cloak and bag and headed for the door, closing and locking the shop with the usual spells before heading over to the clinic. It was closed and locked tight.

_Great. Our one night this week to be together, where is he?_

It clicked immediately. The Rowdy Raven. Of course.

She took off to the south side of town, walking quickly. She was so angry. How could he have forgotten? Again, at that? Sure enough, she entered the Raven a short time later to see Julian at his favorite corner table, a group of people crowded around him as he regaled them with a tale of his days of piracy. When he locked eyes with her, his grew to the size of dinner plates, and he hurriedly extracted himself from the booth.

“Excuse me, I, uhm, I need, EXCUSE ME.” He nearly had to clamber over some people to get to Kit, who was standing just inside the doorway, arms crossed, tapping her foot once more. She didn’t like being like this. It didn’t feel right. But this wasn’t the first time this had happened. Kit wasn’t jealous by nature, but she also didn’t put up with anyone’s bullshit, and that included Julian.

“Hi, Kit, uhm, darling,” he slurred. “Fancy seeing you here.” He gasped as she took him by the ear, all but dragging him outside into the alleyway.

“Am I… what did I do?” Julian glanced down at her, clearly confused.

“What did you _do_?!” Kit spat. “More like what _didn’t_ you do. You knew that tonight was our one night this week that we could spend time together! You knew that. We scheduled it for that very reason. And here you are, at the Raven, drunk…”

“I’m not… well… uh… maybe I’m a little…” He stumbled over the words.

“Julian, you’re drunk.”

“Well, you didn’t remind me,” He began.

“Oh no, don’t put that on me, you and I spoke this morning about tonight before you left.”

“Oh yeah…” Julian slumped against the brick wall of the alley. “Hey, don’t you think you’re being a little harsh about this?” He spoke a bit clearer now.

“Harsh? This is the fourth time you’ve forgotten me, Julian. Maybe you need to figure out when your priorities are.” With that, Kit turned on her heel and stomped away, leaving Julian gaping at her retreating figure. She took up a room at an inn for the night, preferring not to have to have more of an argument when Julian did get home.

When Julian returned home and found the shop closed, dark, and empty, he panicked. What if she’d gotten accosted on the way back from the Raven? What if she’d left him, for good? He slept that night on the floor, sobbing into one of her sweaters. The next day, he woke, having forgotten in his drunken haze exactly why he’d slept on the floor. He dragged himself to his feet, back and joints protesting the entire way. The bed was cold. Kit wasn’t there. She really wasn’t there. He hadn’t imagined it.

“Kit?” He called quietly into the living area. He blinked, shaking his head. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t just go off like this.

But there was no answer.

“Kit?!” He dashed downstairs, tripping over the last step and nearly careening into a chair. The shop sign was still turned to “Closed” and no lamps were lit. The late afternoon sun shone down through the windows, reflecting through some crystals in the windowsill.

She wasn’t there. She’d left. He slumped over the counter before letting the weight of his feelings pull him to the floor, where he pulled his knees up to his chin, letting the dark gather around him as night fell. But then, he heard a key turning in the lock, heard gentle footsteps enter the shop, and he leapt to his feet.

“Kit?!”

“Holy hell, Julian!” She jumped in surprise, nearly dropping the basket of food she was carrying. She snapped her fingers, bringing light to the lamps behind the counter, before taking the sight of Julian in. He was disheveled, eyes rimmed red, face stained with tears. At once, she set the basket down, shutting the door behind her, running to him.

“I’m sorry,” he cried into her hair. “I’m so sorry. I’ll be better. Please tell me you aren’t leaving for good.”

“Leaving for good?” She pulled away just enough to peer up at him. “Why would I do that? Because you’re forgetful? I’m sorry I got so angry.”

“No, no, no, no. You had every right to be.” He gulped. “And if you wanted to leave, I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Don’t start that again with me, Julian Devorak,” she warned, grasping his shirt firmly and tugging him down to her to plant a tender kiss on his lips. “Did I tell you you’re stuck with me?”

“Ah, I believe it was I who told you that, my dear.” He grinned, kissing her once more before scooping her up into his arms. “If you’ll still have me.”

“Always.”


End file.
